The list of new movies coming to the top streaming services and premium VOD platforms for the coming week has been set, and there’s plenty to get excited about, including the streaming debut of Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest film and a new horror original from Netflix.
Also this week, a fantastic blockbuster starring A-listers Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt (it’s the Barbenheimer reunion we’ve always wanted) will hit Peacock, and the much-maligned Borderlands will also quietly leave theaters in the hopes that it will resonate a little better with viewers at home.
So if you’re in the mood for something new this week, these are the best new movies you can enjoy without getting up from your couch. Plus, don’t forget to check out our companion roundup of this week’s best new TV shows.
“Kinds of Kindness” (PVOD and Hulu)
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While last year’s award-winning box office hit Poor Things suggested that notoriously eccentric director Yorgos Lanthimos had reached the mainstream, Kinds of Kindness was a swift reminder that the Greek filmmaker has no intention of courting the general public. This absurdist comedy anthology has all the hallmarks of Lanthimos’ most outlandish work and was met with far less enthusiasm than his previous project, not to mention lower box office returns.
Still, those who “got it” found a lot to like about this very bizarre collection of fables, and I’m definitely in that rather small camp. This is one of my favorite films of the year so far. Kinds of Kindness reunites the director with Emma Stone (for their third collaboration) and Willem Dafoe, and also stars Jesse Plemons. It offers three unique but vaguely connected stories that are darkly funny but also very, very strange. I can’t wait to watch it again.
Buy on Amazon from August 27th, and watch on Hulu from 30 August
“Borderlands” (PVOD)
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There’s no doubt I’m overusing the term “best new movies” by including Borderlands on this list, but I suspect morbid curiosity might lead some people to give this terrible video game adaptation a chance if it’s available on PVOD services. As one of the few people who saw this expensive car crash in theaters, I can attest that it’s a horrific reminder of how terrible movies based on video games were in the 2000s.
I must say, however, that in my opinion it is not quite as bad as some online commentators have made it out to be (the 10% rating on Rotten tomatoes is very hard). Nevertheless, it is still a deeply flawed blockbuster that is much less fun than any of the Borderlands games. At least Cate Blanchett gives it her all as a mercenary named Lilith who travels across the dangerous planet Pandora with a band of strange companions in search of a mysterious treasure trove of mythical secrets.
Buy on Amazon from 30 August
“Everyone is first to die” (Netflix)
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The Deliverance is a Netflix horror film that aims to get its subscribers in the Halloween spirit early. The scare factor is further enhanced by the fact that the Netflix original is based on a true series of alleged hauntings that took place in Gary, Indiana in 2011. With Andra Day, Glenn Close, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Mo’Nique in the lead roles, there’s plenty of talent involved, it’s just a shame that early reviews suggest this is more of a chill-out horror film than a true modern classic.
Ebony (Day) is the matriarch of a family terrorized by dark forces, and these disturbing incidents become more horrific with each passing day. From her floating children to violent arguments among themselves and speaking in strange deep voices, Ebony is convinced her home is a portal to hell and desperately asks the local community for help in saving her children.
Watch on Netflix from 30 August
“The Fall Guy” (Peacock)
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Sometimes good movies don’t get the recognition they deserve, and that was the case with The Fall Guy. When this popcorn hit theaters in March, everything seemed to be going well for this crowd-pleaser, and yet it grossed less than $180 million at the worldwide box office (that may sound like a lot, but for a movie with a $150 million budget, that’s a paltry return). As someone who had a blast with this movie, I was seriously disappointed that it didn’t do better in the spring.
Luckily, the film has one last chance to be seen by more people this week with its release on Peacock (the PVOD release was also silent). In The Fall Guy, Ryan Gosling plays a stuntman recovering from a serious on-set accident a year ago. Forced to return to the set to help his former girlfriend turned director (Emily Blunt), he must investigate the strange disappearance of the film’s arrogant star (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), and stumble upon a crazy mystery full of surprises.
Watch on peacock from 30 August
“Ghostlight” (AMC Plus)
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Bringing Romeo and Juliet to the big screen isn’t exactly a new idea. In fact, the first American adaptation of the legendary Shakespeare story was a silent film released in 1908. So it’s fair to say that the tale of two ill-fated lovers is a well-told story. But you have to give the creative team behind Ghostlight credit for coming up with a new and quite novel way to tell the classic tale. That effort seems to have been very successful, as the flick currently has a 100% rating. Rotten tomatoes.
Dan Mueller (Keith Kupferer) is a highly stressed construction worker struggling with several difficult personal issues. When he is invited to join the cast of a local theater production of Romeo and Juliet, he finds an outlet and a place where he feels he can properly express himself. But as rehearsals continue, the events on stage begin to reflect on his own life. This drama, which also stars Dolly de Leon, has been praised for its emotional subtlety and reflections on the nature of grief.
Watch on AMC Plus from 30 August
